


Protector

by ThatDamnKennedyKid



Category: Naruto
Genre: Age-Reversal no Jutsu, Cute, Fluff, Fluff to the max, Kisame being a softie, kid!Itachi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-06
Updated: 2014-12-06
Packaged: 2018-02-28 07:59:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2724731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThatDamnKennedyKid/pseuds/ThatDamnKennedyKid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Kisame saw was a bright flash before his partner's cloak was puddled around the six year old body of Itachi Uchiha. </p><p>Bright and wide onyx eyes looked up to him and the boy smiled warmly. "Hello."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Protector

**Author's Note:**

> So, this fic was inspired by L.Pliz's "Protector", found here: http://lpilz.deviantart.com/art/Protector-441779312
> 
> Take a look before you read on to get just the image I seen and to make it infinitely cuter.

All Kisame saw was a bright flash and his partner's cloak puddled around the body of the six year old body of Itachi Uchiha. 

Bright and wide eyes looked up to him and he smiled warmly. "Hello."

"Itachi?"

The boy's smile widened. "So you know me, then?"

"Yes."

Itachi looked down at the robe thrown over his petite body and wiggled out of it, moving deftly and folding it. "Oh. I don't have my bag."

Kisame picked it up and tucked it in with Samehada. "Don't worry about it."

"Thank you." Those deep eyes sparkled up at him with innocence his Itachi had never possessed. However, the familiar tear troughs were forming in the childish cheeks that belied the boy's future. Maturity winked at him from the boy's respectful stance and quiet demeanor, despite his innocent openness. "So, what should I call you?"

"My name is Kisame. Kisame Hoshigaki." The man looked down to the child, noting the politeness come over him. "Just Kisame is fine."

"If you say so, Kisame-san."

That was new. Usually Itachi was the superior, being in the Akatsuki before him and all. Their age mattered little in their line of work. What mattered was who was alive longer than you in there. 

"Should I call you Itachi-kun, then?"

Itachi stood beside him, nearly having to bend backwards to look up at him. "Probably. You don't have to, if you don't want to."

Kisame chuckled. "C'mon. We better get out of here before that ninja comes back for you."

"A ninja was after me? What for?"

Kisame eyed the boy. Probably best not to spill the beans too early. "Because you're with me. Now, c'mon. We've gotta go."

"Okay."

Kisame chuckled as the boy jogged to keep stride with him. He slowed his pace to allow the little legs to keep up. "Are you usually this trusting?"

Itachi smiled softly. "Never."

"Then why are you with me?"

"Because you stayed for me."

"What makes that so special?"

"No one does something for someone without a reason. They always get something out of it. I don't have active Sharingan, so that's not what you want. You're here for just me, to take care of me. That's something I can understand."

"Oh?" Perhaps Itachi would be more free-speaking with his worries taken away from him. 

"I have to take care of Sasuke, my younger brother. He's almost two now. I've taken care of him since nearly birth. He comes to me before Mom or Dad. I love him the most. I will never stop, no matter what road I take in life or if his road leads him to hate me." Itachi looked up and offered a sympathetic smile the likes of which he'd only seen on old shinobi watching the Genin run off to war. 

* * *

They were still two days away from the hideout and one from the next inn. Itachi, despite his natural athleticism, was still a child and he ran himself down, idly observing and speaking softly on his new discoveries. So, in lieu of a proper bed, Kisame had found them a small inlet with a natural hollow. The wind was angry that night and bittered the water into chill. 

"Here." Kisame handed the boy the folded cloak. "Wrap yourself in it and press against the stone. It'll keep you sheltered and hopefully warm."

Normally, Kisame and Itachi would be back already, but he didn't know how much chakra control the boy possessed, let alone be able to tree jump.

The boy frowned slightly, but took the robe. He threaded his small arms through the long, loose sleeves and bunched them up around his shoulders, trying to maneuver the abundance of cloth into a bed, blanket and pillow.

Kisame laid himself down by the edge of the river, taking more wind. It mattered little to him. 

* * *

It must have been close to midnight when a soft shuffling drew his attention. He looked behind him to see Itachi's head peeking out of an Akatsuki burrito. The boy was shivering pathetically.

Kisame sighed, rolling himself over and letting Samehada take the brunt of the wind. He opened his cloak, pulling the boy in against him and wrapping a heavy arm around what he assumed was the torso area. It was hard to tell. 

"I'm sorry to bother you."

Kisame's hot breath rasped gently through the black strands. "I should have known you'd be like this, especially now. You're always cold when we sleep outside. You never just ask."

Itachi's big black eyes gazed up at him. "Can I stay here tonight?"

Kisame nuzzled the little boy. "Of course, Itachi."

* * *

Itachi didn't complain about being hungry the next day, though Kisame knew he was. Kisame himself was hungry. How could the boy not be?

"There's a small town just ahead." Kisame grinned to himself, shielded by the high collar. "There's a dango shop there."

"Dango?" Itachi's step livened. "Are we going to eat there?"

"If you'd like."

"Yes please."

He knew it.

"Dango it is."

* * *

By the time they made it back to the hideout, Itachi was riding on Kisame's shoulders, marvelling at the man's height. Itachi weighed less than Samehada, which was at once worrying and helpful.

He was quickly distracted from that, however, when it was Deidara who greeted them. He could only imagine what kind of ridicule the blonde would come up with for the boy on his shoulders. This was not the same person who killed his clan and he didn't want the boy broken by the foreknowledge. 

Before the blonde could utter so much as a grunt, Kisame spoke first. "He's six years old, he's unaware and right now, we need to focus on reversing the jutsu on him before you start talking shit."

Deidara looked up and met the boy's soulful eyes. "I'll tell Sasori."

Kisame nodded. "I'm going to leave him in my room and go talk to the Leader."

Deidara nodded again.

* * *

When Kisame came back to his room, Itachi was curled in his bed, wrapped in Kisame's cloak, sound asleep. Deidara was laying on Itachi's bed, just watching. 

"He's cute, hmm. I'll give him that."

Gingerly, Kisame sat himself down by Itachi, stroking the youth's hair gently. "He is."

"Bitches, what are you doing in here?! Konan made-Hfphmh!"

Sasori rolled his eyes and set Hidan down with a nice glare added to keep him shut up. 

"I need to know what, exactly, is wrong with him before I can fix him." Sasori explained tersely, angered at being delayed to Konan's baking. 

* * *

Deidara slapped Hidan when he came barrelling around the corner out of sheer bewilderment. The Jashinist recoiled with a loud hiss, clutching his face. 

"What the fuck?!"

"Don't come running at me full tilt!"

"I wasn't running at you! I'm looking for the fucking Uchiha brat!"

"Does it look like he's here, hmm?" Deidara crossed his arms and did his best impression of an unimpressed housewife. 

"I've been all over the rest of the hideout! Where the hell else could he be?"

Deidara watched a pale and dainty arm come down from the ceiling and touch Hidan's head. "Tag."

The Jashinist's head snapped up and he snarled thickly. "I'll get you, you little shit!"

Itachi took off across the ceiling in a fit of giggles.

* * *

Sasori came back to his room from his lab setup deeper inside the cave. He stopped short at what he entered to. 

How Itachi even got in, Sasori didn't know, but neither did he really care. The boy was painting one of his figurines, the ones he based his old wooden puppets on. The painting was elegant and careful, not a drop of the staining liquid out of place. 

_"Itachi's not a heartless man, Sasori. You should learn that."_

Kisame had been right. 

Itachi looked up at him, calm and balanced, almost in meditation his concentration was so deep. "I was hoping it would be a surprise. But, since you're here, you may as well take a look at the painted ones."

Beauty. Sublimation. Divinity. Call it what you will, but Sasori found perfection in the small, painted figures. 

* * *

Deidara had heard of Itachi's excursion into their room and seen the artwork firsthand. He kid was an excellent painter, he'd give him that. He'd have never thought the kid could sculpt too. 

"What are you doing in here?"

Itachi held up his hand, elbow deep in clay. On the tiny palm rested a small Jashin pendant. It was made after the style of the Endless Knot and the Celtic Cross. "I broke his. I'm weaving a necklace made from my hair for it to rest on."

"Really?" Deidara sat down beside him, throwing the cloak to the side. "Show me more, hmm."

* * *

Hidan awoke to a small weight on his chest. He opened his eyes to see Itachi watching him.

"You're a creepy ass kid."

Itachi smiled indulgently. "I've been told. Here."

"What is it?" Hidan stared at it. 

"I broke your pendant yesterday. I wanted to make it up to you and Deidara-san offered me some of his clay to do so. So, here."

Hidan, without question, bound the silky string around his neck, watching the glazed clay bounce just below his collarbone. 

* * *

In the end, no matter the antics, Itachi always returned to Kisame. When alone, the boy would help with the chores and talk endlessly about what he'd done with the rest of the members of the Akatsuki. Kisame knew all about the figurines, the chasing and the ceramic work. Every night, like clockwork, Itachi would crawl into his bed and they would sleep that way, Itachi curled on the shark's massive chest. 

"Kisame-san?"

"Hmm?" Kisame twirled the lock of hair in his fingers once more. "What's on your mind, Itachi?"

"I love you."

* * *

The next morning, when Kisame woke up to a full grown man staring down at him, he could only watch as Itachi blinked, eyes going black once more, before he smiled and settled back down, curling back into sleep. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
